Graduate course syllabus

Family Policy:

How it Affects Families and What Professionals Can Do

Human Development & Family Studies 230-842

The only way in which a human being can make some approach to knowing the whole of a subject is by hearing what can be said about it by persons of every variety of opinion and studying all modes in which it can be looked at by every character of mind. No wise man ever acquired his wisdom in any mode but this.

- John Stuart Mill

Course Description

This course will explore the reciprocal linkages between family functioning and public and private policies in this country and across the globe. Students will explore in what ways families contribute to social problems, how families are affected by these problems, and whether families should be involved in policy solutions. Students will assess the consequences policies may have for family well-being. The course will include theoretical frameworks for conceptualizing family policy, roles professionals can play in building family policy, and approaches professionals can use in implementing these roles.

Course Objectives

In this course, students are expected to:

  • Critically examine theoretical orientations for conceptualizing family policy and for connecting research and policymaking.
  • Gain an understanding of how policy is influenced by demographic changes, values, attitudes, and perceptions of the well-being of children and families.
  • Apply thefamily impact lensto policy analysis by assessing current policy issues in terms of their sensitivity to and supportiveness of diverse contemporary families.
  • Explore the roles professionals can play in conducting family policy research, and in formulating and implementing policies that strengthen and support families across the life cycle.
  • Examine how these roles can be implemented using an educational or advocacy approach.
  • Think critically and learn communication skills for developing and expressing clear logical arguments for policymakers, professionals, and the public.

Instructor

Dr. Karen Bogenschneider, RothermelBascom Professor of Human Ecology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Family Policy Specialist, University of Wisconsin-Extension
Office: 4109 Nancy Nicholas Hall,1300 Linden Drive
Office Phone: (608) 262-4070
Office Hours: Mondays 9:30 - 11:30 and by appointment
E-mail Address:

CLASS MEETINGS

Tuesdays, 2:25–4:55 in 4178 Nancy Nicholas Hall

Required Texts

Bellah, R. N., Madsen, R., Sullivan, W. M., Swidler, A., & Tipton, S. M. (1996).Habits of the heart: Individualism and commitment in American life. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press.

Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Family policy matters: How policymaking affects families and what professionals can do (3rded.). New York, NY: Routledge and Taylor & Francis.

These texts have been ordered at the University Book Store. The course reading packet can be picked up at the Social Science Copy Center at 6120 Social Science Center. A copy has also been placed atSteenbock Memorial Library.

Course Philosophy

My intent is to encourage students to consider policies from the perspective of families, rather than individuals. To encourage students to examine ideas critically, some of the course readings are included because of their insensitivity to family well-being or conceptual inconsistencies. The course purposefully includes writings from across the political spectrum. The intent of this course is, not to have the students complete the class espousing the instructor’s political views, but rather to explore more fully a range of political perspectives in an attempt to determine their own views on current family policy issues. In keeping with this philosophy, there is no right or wrong answer on some of the assignments. Instead, students are evaluated on their ability to articulate a particular view, identify its theoretical underpinnings, support it with empirical findings, and refute alternative views.

Course Requirements

1.Participating in Class Discussion (15 points)- Regular class attendance and participation is expected. Each week students are assigned readings from the texts or the reading packet. These assignments should be read before class so students can participate fully in the discussion. The class will be structured much like a study group or policy board that one might encounter in business, education, or the legislature, in which a group of people grapple with ideas. Each student is responsible for teaching others in the class, assuming responsibility for locating resources, finding answers to questions that arise, and being prepared for class as part of an obligation to one’s own learning and that of others.

2.Individualism and Familism in U.S. Culture (30 points) - Based on the text by Bellah, write a 5-7 page paper focusing on the following:

  • Is American culture focused more on individualism or commitment to others? What evidence can you provide? Can you think of examples from your personal experience (10 points)?
  • Do families influence American individualism? If so, how and why? What other factors play a role (10 points)?
  • Is a cultural shift toward individualism or familism possible? How would this happen (10 points)?

3.Family Policy Issue Analysis (15 points) - Students are expected to read the newspaper and listen to news coverage to keep up-to-date on current policy issues being debated or decided in local, state, or federal government; executive, legislative, or judicial branches of government; businesses; advocacy groups; or nonprofit organizations from a daily newspaper (i.e., state paper, The New York Times, or The Wall Street Journal) or a weekly magazine (i.e.,Time, Newsweek, or U.S. News & World Report). Do not read anecdotal or human interest articles to fulfill this assignment.

For this assignment, write a 3- to 4-page summary using this format (assignment can be revised and resubmitted):

  • title and source of the article (the news story must be attached for grading);
  • brief summary of the article that is accurate, but does not plagiarize (5 points);
  • policy implications for families (5 points); and
  • yourown reaction based upon class readings, and your personal experiences or values (5 points).

4.Views of a Controversial Family Policy (40 points) - Write an 8- to 10-page paper on a policy issue of your choice.

  • Describe the problem that you will address, what policies already exist, and what policy options are being considered (10 points).
  • Contrast how the concerned, satisfied, and impatient perspectives would approach this issue (10 points each).
  • Using the theory of paradox, discuss whether and how the issue could benefit from each of these perspectives (10 points).
  • Explain why the issue has been controversial and what it would take to move the issue forward (10 points).

5.Report on Policy Meetings (40 points) - Attend two meetings in which policy issues are being discussed. One of the meetings must be a hearing of the state legislature (check this web page for upcoming hearings: and the other can be another hearing or a government meeting (e.g., county board of supervisors, city council, school board meeting), judicial proceedings (i.e., Supreme Court trial), advocacy meeting (e.g., Wisconsin Council on Children and Families, Children’s Trust Fund), political forum (e.g., political party caucus, candidate speech), or nonprofit organization (i.e.,child care center board, church, synagogue, or religious council).

Write a 3- to 5-page paper that includes the names of both meetings as well as the place, date, number and types of people in attendance, and the total time you attended. For one of the meetings, summarize:

  • what happened, how decisions were made or will be made, and what you learned about the policymaking process (10 points);
  • the implications for family policy (10 points); and
  • whatyou learned drawing upon class readings and your own experiences (10 points).

Be prepared to give an 8-minute report in class Nov. 4, 11, or 18 (10 points). A one-paragraph summary of the policy meetings you plan to attend is due September 23. The oral report can be given in collaboration with another student in the class, but each person must submit their own written report on the day of their oral report.

6.Family Impact Analysis (40 points) - Write a 6- to 8-page family impact analysis of an issue, a specific law, a legislative proposal, or program, according to the following format. Select a topic that you are familiar with so that you can cite relevant research evidence. This assignment should be approached from an educational perspective.

  • Using the family impact principles, how can or are families being supported in this issue, law, legislation, or program (10 points)?
  • Using the family impact principles, how can or might families be undermined by this issue, law, legislation, or program (10 points)?
  • Are there beneficial effects that might have been overlooked without family impact analysis? Are there harmful effects that a family impact analysis might help avoid (10 points)?
  • What questions should policymakers ask when making decisions on the topic of your analysis (10 points)?

7.Brief for Policymakers on Family Impact Analysis(20 Points) - Write a 2-page (500-word) brief forpolicymakers summarizing your findings. Explain to policymakers why this issue is important, what impacts it has on family well-being, how this issue might be approached using the family impact lens, and what family considerations policymakers might want to take into account when developingtheir views on this issue or enacting legislation. This assignment must be approached from an education perspective.

Course Grading

You should be familiar with the University’s standards for academic honesty as described in the pamphlet, Academic Misconduct: Rules and Procedures, published by the Dean of Students’ Office. For individual assignments, you are expected to work alone. You can consult books, articles, and class notes but ideas from these sources must be cited. Failure to cite the source of ideas other than your own is plagiarism. Materials incorporated from the Internet also require proper citation.

Class attendance is expected. Because the class meets only once and because each week deals with a discrete topic, it is very difficult to get a good grade without attending class.

All written assignments should be well-organized, demonstrate critical thinking, and apply concepts learned in the course or from other sources. Assignments should be professional in appearance—typed, double-spaced, and proofread for correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation. Assignments will be graded primarily on what is said (e.g., thoughtful analysis and application of course content), but also on how it is said (e.g., grammar, clarity, organization). Some assignments will be assessed based on their accessibility for lay audiences (i.e., consistency with the journalistic style used to write for policymakers). Paper should be written in APA style. The number of points and due date of each assignment are given below.

Table 1. Course Assignment Summary

Points / Assignment / Due Date
15
30
15
40
40
40
20
——
200 / Class Participation
Individualism and Familism in American CultureParagraph on the Two Policy Meetings You Will Attend
Paragraph Describing Two Policy Meeting
(if you won’t be attending two hearings)
Family Policy Issue Analysis
Report and Paper on Policy Meetings
Views of a Controversial Family Policy
Family Impact Analysis Report on Policy Meetings Family Impact Analysis
Brief for Policymakers on Family Impact Analysis
Total Points / Sept. 16
Sept. 23
Sept. 23, Sept. 30, or Oct. 7
Oct. 14, 21, or 28
Nov. 11 or 18
Dec. 2or Dec. 9
Due day of final exam

I wish to fully include persons with disabilities in this course. Please let me know if you need any special accommodations in the curriculum, instruction, or assessments of this course to enable you to fully participate. I will try to maintain confidentiality of the information you share with me. Students who are requesting any accommodation on the basis of disability should schedule an office appointment with me within the first three weeks of the semester.

Once you have learned how to ask questions—relevant and appropriate and substantial questions—you have learned how to learn and no one can keep you from learning whatever you want or need to know.

- Neil Postman and Charles Weingartner

Science considers what is true . . . . Politics considers what is right . . . . Art is the development of what is beautiful . . . . It has been humanity’s persistent hope that these three ideals should be consistent with each other. . . . I hold a position radically different from the general point of view, believing . . . that we must learn to live with contradictions, because they lead to deeper and more effective understanding [of the world].

- Edward Teller, Science, May 1998

septEMBER 2

From Reluctant Student to Passionate Proponent:
How Youth Have Used Family Policy to Change the World

Few of us will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work tochange a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written thehistory of this generation.

- Robert F. Kennedy, June 6, 1966

(as cited in The Poynter Institute, 2009, p. 112)

Class Readings

  • Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Chapter 1.
  • Bostian, L. (n.d.). How to be your own editor. University of Wisconsin-Madison: Department of Agricultural Journalism.
  • Quiney, R. G. (1992). How to create superior briefings (read only pp. 5- 15). Ottawa, Canada: Canadian Centre for Management Development.

Guiding Questions

  • What life lessons do we learn in families?
  • Identify two or three public policies that impact you, your close relationships, and/or family members (either now or in the future).
  • What policy efforts have you been involved in?
  • What policy efforts would you like to get involved in? Why?

Introduction to the Class

  • What expectations does the instructor have for the students? What expectations do the students have
    for the instructor?
  • What can students expect to learn in the class and how can they expect to learn it?
  • What philosophy of education undergirds the course?
  • What collective experience on policy do the instructor and students bring to the class?

Class Activity

  • “How Much Have Families Changed in Your Lifetime?”

Assignments

  • Reminder that the first assignment on individualism and familism in U.S. culture is due Sept. 16

septEMBER 9

Why We Should Focus on Families
in Policymaking, and Why We Don’t

Greater than the tread of mighty armies is an idea whose time has come.

- Victor Hugo

Class Readings

  • Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Chapter 2.
  • Tocqueville, A. (1945). Democracy in America, Vol. 2, (pp. 104-106, 109-113, 114-118). New York, NY: Vintage Books.
  • Hernandez, D. J. (2005). Changes in the demographics of families over the course of American history. In J. Heymann & C. Beem (Eds.), Unfinished work: Building equality and democracy in an era of working families (pp. 13-35). New York, NY: The New Press.
  • Coontz, S. (1997). What we really miss about the 1950’s. In The way we really are: Coming to terms with America’s changing families (pp. 33-50). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Guiding Questions

  • Are family considerations given as high a priority in policymaking as economic considerations?
  • What changes have occurred in family life during the last half century?
  • Why is a democracy more apt to lead to individualism?
  • In polls, why do more Americans choose the 1950s than any other decade as the best time for children to grow up?
  • Why was the choice of the best decade not universal across all respondents?
  • What aspects of life in the 1950s should be reinstated? What aspects could be reinstated?

Class Activity

  • “Why Family Policy is so Controversial and Difficult to Move Forward”

Assignments

  • Individualism and familism in U.S. culture assignment is due Sept. 16

septEMBER 16

Defining Family Policy: An Identify of Its Own

If we want to have any hope of mending our broken society, family and parenting iswhere we’ve got to start.

- British Prime Minister David Cameron, August 15, 2011

Class Readings

  • Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Chapter 3.
  • Bellah, R. N., Madsen, R., Sullivan, W. M., Swidler, A., & Tipton, S. M. (1996). Habits of the heart: Individualism and commitment in American life. Berkeley: University of California Press.
  • Hewlett, S. A. (1991). When the bough breaks: The cost of neglecting our children (pp. 138-167). New York, NY: Basic Books.

Guiding Questions

  • What qualities can family policy and the family impact lens bring to policymaking?
  • Is a single definition of family needed to move family policymaking forward? Why or why not?
  • How could you briefly explain to a policymaker why it is important for them to consider families in their decisions?
  • Is American culture focused more on individualism or commitment to others?
  • Do families influence Americans’ penchant for individualism?
  • Why do children fare so poorly in public policy decisions?
  • How can we meet the needs of children without pitting their needs against those of the elderly? Be specific.

Class Activity

  • “What is a Family and What is Family Policy?”
  • Developing an Elevator Speech for Family Policy

Assignments

  • Paper on individualism and familism in U.S. culture due

septEMBER 23

Policies and Practices Biased
Toward Individual Rights Over Family Responsibilities

Perhaps because of the dominance of individualism in our country, we tend to split the individual from the family, just as we have tended to split the mind fromthe body.

- Doherty (1993, p. 98)

Class Readings

  • Bogenschneider, K. (2014). Chapter 4.
  • Doherty, W. J. (1994). I’m O.K., you’re O.K., but what about the kids? The Family Therapy Networker,17,46-53.
  • Melnick, R. S. (2005, April). Welfare policies and the strategy of rights. Paper presented at the Institute for Research on Poverty conference on “Making the Politics of Poverty and Inequality: How Public Priorities Are Reshaping American Democracy,” Madison, WI. [available from Karen Bogenschneider () with permission of the author].
  • Whitehead, B. D. (1992). Crossing the cultural divide: A new familism? Family Affairs, 5 (1-2), 1-5.

Guiding Questions

  • Whyis policy said to create the conditions in which families operate?
  • In what ways does the privatization of family law jeopardize family functioning?
  • How do local policies affect family structure and function?
  • What are the similarities and differences in how a family-oriented and individually-oriented therapist would advise their client?
  • Under what conditions have the courts been most effective in bringing about social policy change?
  • Is our country shifting toward a focus on individualism or toward family obligation and commitment? Why?

Class Activity